Adventures in Teaching -- A New Adventure!

If you know me, you know that moving to San Jose was difficult for many reasons, but especially because it meant leaving my old School.

I knew it would be even more just as difficult to find a new job. The economy is still recovering, and threats of further cuts to education loom over districts hesitant to hire. I went to teacher-faires, and sent in numerous resumes and letters of intent, hoping to find something. I had the good fortune to interview at one school that seemed way to good to be true. But, for what seemed like an eternity, I heard nothing.

On the last day of school, literally as I was scooting the kids out of my classroom, my cell phone buzzed mentioning that I had a voicemail. It was the school, the school. My teacher friends and I had always joked that someday we would quit and open a charter school; a school in which we could teach to the whole child, fostering a love of learning  That was this school. The school I had all but written off hope for. There they were calling me, and asking me if I was still interested in becoming a part of their team! 

As of August, I will be a sixth grade teacher at a small K-8 charter school in Palo Alto. Their mission is such that their school "offers a collaborative, experiential learning environment that emphasizes individual student achievement and inspires children, faculty and staff to reach beyond themselves to achieve full potential. Using a global perspective to teach about the interconnectedness of communities and their environments, " their "program nurtures mutual respect, civic responsibility, and a lifelong love of learning."


I am very excited to have accepted the position, and begin a new adventure in teaching.

On Monday I head out to San Mateo for a week long math training. The following week, my new adventure begins! So, for the next few days, I am going to enjoy my last moments of summer break.

Adventures in Teaching: Outdoor School

As a sixth grade teacher in my school district, I am responsible for taking my students to Outdoor School for a few days every year. Prior to working in the district, I had never even heard of Outdoor School, or "Sixth Grade Camp." Today I completed my fourth experience as a teacher at Outdoor School. This year, we attended from Tuesday - Friday. (Yes! Teachers sleep in cabins just like the students!) Sixth graders get the opportunity to learn about ecology, geology, conservation and other sixth grade science standards in 'real-world' applications. It also provides the students with a variety of opportunities for growth in respect, self-reliance, hard-work and perseverance. It is a very challenging, exhausting, and rewarding experience. The best part --- this becomes your classroom for four days, twelve hours a day!

Adventures in Teaching: Kid Quotes

One great thing about sixth grade, you can totally mess with them and joke around with them, and they don't get "all butt-hurt." Two kids were sitting on the playground. Another teacher was harassing his student about whether the kid or his dogs were better. Here is a general transcript of the interaction:

T (Teacher): I don't know, I think my dogs might be better. I mean, they actually listen to me. If I ask them to sit, they sit. 

S1 (Student 1): Come on, we listen. Most of the time. 

T: Okay, maybe. But my dogs have tails. You don't have a tail, so my dogs are better. 

S1: Well, we kind of have tails. We have a tailbone, which started out as a tail.... but you know over time it became just the,uh, tail bone. 

S2 (Student 2): Dude, that's called revolution, you know humans came from other animals. That's, like, revolution. 

S1: Dude, I think you mean evolution. 

S2: Yeah, that's what I said, evolution.

Adventures in Teaching: SIXTH GRADE

Cons:

Switching classrooms. 32 huge sweaty, stinky kids. Hormones (theirs not mine.) More parents/report cards/conferences/everything. Did I mention  huge, sweaty, stinky kids? Big kids are less likely to want to please the teacher just because. Having the same group of *lovely children* as two years ago.

Pros:

Outdoor Education. Not having to explain the verbiage I use on a daily basis. Better social science curriculum. A trip to Greece would be tax deductible. Kids can use scissors on their own. Kids less likely to pee their pants. Two prep periods. Books with words containing more than three, four or five letters. Not having kids make shocking faces and the coordinated loud gasps when they hear the word stupid (or any other not nice word) in a book. 

"When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves." ~Victor Frankl

I did it before, I can do it again. Bring on the sixth graders!